The trail of political interference was completely severed following the sudden death of Vice Minister Suzuki. Facing a dead end, Kairi's group had no choice but to shift their entire focus toward their sole remaining plausible target: the Shiraishi Investment Fund.
Yet, hope was swiftly snuffed out by the chilling perfection of this organization.
Days bled into days. While Kairi's computer screens and the stacks of documents on Yume's desk were constantly refreshed, every effort to dig deeper proved futile, like throwing stones into a vast ocean. On paper, the Shiraishi Fund was immaculately clean. It had emerged as a shining star in the financial realm, systematically pouring capital into high-potential technology, healthcare, and real estate projects. Transparent tax records, legitimate cash flow, and not a single shell company or shady offshore account to be found. The only anomaly was the identity of the true chairman or founder behind this massive investment fund—it remained a complete mystery, never once disclosed to the media.
Night grew late, streetlights casting a sickly yellow glow through the window curtains. Kairi trudged back to the safehouse after an exhausting day. The living room was silent, save for a small pool of light cast by the desk lamp. Approaching the table, Kairi let out a soft sigh as he saw Yume slumped over the desk, fast asleep. Scattered all around her were financial reports, cash flow charts, and newspaper clippings regarding the Shiraishi Fund. Her brow was faintly furrowed; even in her dreams, the dead end seemed to linger in her mind.
Kairi quietly fetched a thin blanket and carefully draped it over Yume's shoulders, which were trembling slightly in the nighttime chill. He stood there gazing at the chaotic pile of documents for a long time, a heavy surge of powerlessness rising in his chest. If even Yume couldn't uncover a single crack, then the Shiraishi Fund was truly an impenetrable fortress.
Yet right at that seemingly hopeless dead end, the phone in Kairi's pocket vibrated softly. A work email had just arrived.
He narrowed his eyes to read the subject line, and his heart skipped a beat. It was an invitation addressed directly to him. The email invited Kairi to attend a large-scale technology summit tailored for industry leaders and startup entrepreneurs. In the lower right corner of the screen, golden embossed lettering glistened: Organized and Exclusively Sponsored by — Shiraishi Investment Fund.
The next morning, when the printed invitation was laid out on the table, the atmosphere in the room immediately grew taut as a bowstring.
Ginji crossed his arms with a highly vigilant expression, while Yume tapped her fingers incessantly against the tabletop. The entire group understood all too well that this coincidence was far too neat. The Shiraishi Fund had just swallowed up the remnants of Mikage and severed all leads, and now they were suddenly sending an invitation to Kairi. It was very possible they had caught wind of someone investigating them—or worse, this was a trap laid in advance.
"You can't go," Yume said firmly, unable to hide the deep concern in her eyes. "It's too risky. We have no idea what power lies behind this fund. If they dared to assassinate a Vice Minister in broad daylight, there's no reason they'd show you any mercy."
"But this is a golden opportunity, Yume," Kairi replied, his fingers trailing lightly over the gold-trimmed card. "We've been running in circles all week. If we don't enter the tiger's den, how can we catch the tiger? Besides, this summit is an international-grade tech event, gathering hundreds of prominent guests and countless media lenses. I don't believe they'd be insane enough to strike right in a place so crowded and heavily secured."
The sheer resolve in Kairi's eyes rendered Yume speechless. She knew that once this young man made up his mind, no one could sway him. After a tense argument, Yume finally compromised. She and Ginji wouldn't go inside; instead, they would stand by in a van parked in the lot across from the venue, establishing an internal comms line and preparing to rush in the moment Kairi sent an emergency signal.
The day of the summit arrived at last.
The taxi pulled up before the grand entrance of the city's largest international convention center. Kairi stepped out wearing a tailored black suit, smoothing down his jacket. He took a deep breath, inserted the miniature earpiece into his left ear, and adjusted the lapel pin on his chest—which subtly concealed a micro-camera.
The moment he stepped through the gilded doors, Kairi was awestruck by the sheer extravagance inside. Massive crystal chandeliers cast brilliant light onto marble floors. Melodic classical jazz blended with the clinking of champagne flutes. This was Kairi's first time setting foot in a true high-society event. Surrounding him were heavyweights of the tech industry: the CEO of CyberCore Telecom chatting with the CTO of Horizon Tech, and beaming Ministers of Science.
Unexpectedly, Kairi didn't drown in the sea of powerful figures. As he crossed the main hall, whispers began to ripple around him. A middle-aged executive approached, offering a warm handshake:
"You're Kairi, aren't you? The mind behind the Links Star project that's been taking the internet by storm lately! It's a true honor to meet you."
The Links Star project—the passion project Kairi had lost to Sato in the previous loop—had unexpectedly created such a massive sensation among industry professionals. Kairi shook hands, offering a polite smile:
"You flatter me, sir. The project has just passed its trial phase and will be officially announced in a few days. I would be honored if you could spare some time to attend then."
His handsome features, confident smirk, and the calm composure of a young CEO made Kairi stand out remarkably. Quite a few wealthy socialite heiresses in expensive evening gowns began gliding over to initiate conversation, offering drinks and subtly fishing for his contact details. Amidst the glamorous networking, Kairi found himself inadvertently swept up in their flirtatious chatter.
Suddenly, through his earpiece, Yume's voice snapped, cold and irritable: "Kairi, stop paying attention to those girls. Focus on the mission!"
Snapping back to his senses, Kairi cleared his throat, gracefully offered his excuses, and slipped out of the flock of admirers to search for his primary target.
As he leaned against the bar to catch his breath, an abrupt chill surged down Kairi's spine. Space itself seemed to pause for a beat. His sense of smell picked up an earthy yet razor-sharp scent—reminiscent of cold ash after rain.
He turned his head. Not far away, a youth was walking toward him.
He was roughly Kairi's age, clad in an immaculate, unwrinkled white suit. But what rendered Kairi unable to avert his gaze was his brilliant golden hair—and above all, his eyes. Beneath the crystal lights, the youth's eyes gleamed a crimson red as vivid as blood, so deep and mesmerizing that anyone meeting his gaze felt as though their very soul was being laid bare. An invisible weight enveloped the space around him, the aura of someone long accustomed to standing at the pinnacle, looking down upon lesser lives.
This oppressive presence... was identical to the lion-masked man he had encountered at the casino.
"Your Links Star project... is truly impressive."
The red-eyed youth stopped exactly two steps from Kairi, his rich, quiet voice echoing like a solemn movement in a symphony. He softly raised his champagne glass. "I have heard of your name for a long time, Kairi. A rare young talent."
Kairi tried to keep his heartbeat steady, asking cautiously: "Thank you for the compliment. Forgive me, I don't believe I caught your name..."
"Just call me Itsuki," the youth smirked faintly, forming an inscrutable smile. His crimson eyes locked onto Kairi's pupils for a brief few seconds, carrying an invisible message that only those living in the underworld could comprehend.
Only now did Kairi notice the anomaly in the atmosphere. Almost every gaze in the auditorium was silently converging on them, a mix of intense curiosity and quiet apprehension.
Without waiting for Kairi to reply, Itsuki offered a subtle nod of farewell. "Pleasure to meet you. Forgive me, I have some preparations to make."
With that, Itsuki turned and walked away, blending into the crowd. Kairi stood rooted to the spot, gripping his glass so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Although Itsuki displayed no overt killing intent, Kairi's survival instincts were screaming at him, warning of the extreme danger this person posed.
The middle-aged executive from earlier approached, lowering his voice to a whisper: "You'd better stay away from him if you don't want trouble, Kairi."
"Why do you say that?" Kairi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That guy... is the infamous illegitimate son of the Mikage clan."
A flash of realization struck Kairi's brain. So that was it. Those crimson eyes were the signature bloodline trait of the Mikage family.
"But why has the media never mentioned the Mikage head having a child out of wedlock?" Kairi pressed further.
The man clicked his tongue and explained: "It's no surprise you don't know. The matter was strictly covered up; only a select few insiders in high society know the truth. You've only come into prominence recently, so naturally you wouldn't know. Word has it his mother was once just a maid who was later beaten to death by the mistress of the Mikage household. As for the collapse of the Mikage Corporation, I'd bet nine times out of ten he had a hand in it, though who really knows? Regardless, a rejected outcast like him probably can't kick up too much of a storm anyway."
Shaken by the news, Kairi made an excuse to leave, finding a quiet corner concealed by velvet drapes to transmit the intel.
"Yume, Ginji, can you hear me clearly?"
"Loud and clear," Yume's voice came steadily through his earpiece, accompanied by the clicking of keys. "I'm looking through confidential records sent by our contact inside the police department. The data indicates Itsuki officially severed father-son ties with Takeru Mikage and signed papers waiving all inheritance rights six months ago."
"What about his mother's background?"
"She was a former maid for the Mikage family. Her name was..."
Before he could catch the full name, an ear-splitting blast of electronic interference tore through Kairi's eardrum. The jamming frequency broadcasted directly from the venue's audio system. By reflex, Kairi yanked the micro-earpiece out of his ear and crushed it inside his palm.
On stage, the host stepped forward, his resonant voice booming through the surround-sound speakers, drowning out all chatter:
"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, tech leaders, and great minds of our time. Today, we are honored to gather here to witness the dawn of a new era. And without keeping you waiting any longer, allow me to introduce the mastermind behind this magnificent event. The genius mind, brilliant investor, and mystery Chairman behind the resounding success of the Shiraishi Investment Fund..."
The lights in the hall suddenly dimmed. Dozens of spotlights converged at once onto the central podium. The soft music faded entirely, making way for a thunderous round of applause from the guests.
The wings of the stage slowly parted. A silhouette walked out into the center, drawing every eye among the hundreds of powerful individuals below.
As the spotlight beamed directly onto his face, Kairi's pupils contracted violently. The glass in his hand nearly slipped through his trembling fingers. Standing at the highest podium, looking down over the auditorium with an arrogant smirk... was the youth with golden hair and crimson, blood-red eyes.
Itsuki.